The Changing of Seasons
by Kenn-chan
Summary: At the changing of the seasons, Soubi has to leave. But what happens to little Ritsuka when his only protector is gone? Warnings inside. Rated T but could really be K . kind of sad


**A/N:** So, I'm going to take a break from the yaoi for a while... It's been giving me a few issues in life so, its time to take a little break. Here we are with something new; I've never done a fic-lit like this before.. or at least, if I did, I don't remember it at the moment.

**Warnings**: mentions of suicide, murder, abuse and over all sadness, OOC-ness?

**Disclaimer**: Loveless is not mine even though I _really _wish it was...

The seasons had changed. The summer crisp grass had turned into a dry, brittle, brown. There was no escaping the ever changing seasons, just like there was no escapting what they meant.

_It was time to go..._

Soubi sighed, how had his time passed so quickly? He wasn't sure, but he certainly wasn't excited about it. So many things passed through his mind all at once. What was he going to do? Where did he plan on going? But, the most important and prominent thought was, how was he going to tell Ritsuka?

How could he? Just the very thought made his heart swell with guilt. What a cruel man he was, he thought, to promise a poor, innocent, abused boy that he would stay by his side to protect him forever, only to leave him after half a year. _You're an awful, horrid, cruel man,_ he kept thinking.

How was he supposed to leave the kid behind? Would being abrupt be best? A scene played in his head, _"Oh yea. Ritsuka, I'm leaving you." The child would choke on a sob, even though he tried to play it tough, and worst of all, he'd never be the same. _It had taken months to gain that kid's trust, and now, here he was about to throw it all away.

Its not like he wanted to leave, if he could, he'd stay with the kitten forever; but that wasn't in his term of _contract_. Soubi grimaced at the memory,

_"When I die, I have someone I'd like you to take care of," Beloved said. _

_Soubi frowned, "You don't know you're going to d-" _

_"__When__ I do, promise me you'll look after him."_

_The blond sighed heavily, "Alright. Well, who is it?"_

_Soubi watched as Beloved frowned and his face paled._

_"Beloved...?"_

_The cat sighed again, "His name is... Loveless."_

_Soubi frowned again before the connection hit him, was Loveless who he thought he was?_

_Beloved continued, "He's my little brother and.. he'll need your help when I'm gone."_

_The blond's lips curved upwards into a gentle smile. "Don't you think your mother could take care of your little brother? I know you still live at home and you've mentioned your mother once before. I'm sure she'll be fully capable, it is a mother's job to take care of her young after all..."_

_Beloved gave a small, sad chuckle. "No, she won't be able to care for him. This is exactly why I'm asking you to do it. You're my closest friend, Soubi. Believe me when I say, he's going to need you."_

_Soubi nodded. He could understand he supposed, not every mother was able to care for her young. Maybe he'd have to play baby sitter while Loveless' mom worked or something. He could get "off duty" when she came home perhaps._

_"Ok, you can count on me, I'll take care of Loveless for you."_

_Beloved smiled in relief to his fighter, "Thank you, Soubi. But, don't call him Loveless, he doesn't know about fighters yet."_

_"What's his name then?"_

_The fighter watched as Beloved's relieved smile turned into one of happiness. _

_"It's Ritsuka," he said softly._

At the time, Soubi had guessed that when Beloved said he was going to die, it was just parinoia. Everyone got it from time to time. But when the cat actually turned up dead, he knew he had a promise to fufil. He had to find Loveless.

It didn't take long to find him and his mindset was a simple "do your job by fufilling your promise and then get the hell out of here". Simple with no strings attatched. He hadn't assumed he grow close to the kid, but now, here he was, hand poised to knock on Ritsuka's door for the very last time.

Ritsuka was quick to answer the door and Soubi couldn't help but notice a large bandage covering his left eye. His mother had gotten violent again, Soubi's heart clenched painfully in his chest, he was about to leave this kitten to fight off his abusive mother all on his own; it was a battle Soubi knew Ritsuka could never win.

The blond wasted little time explaining that he had to leave. "Business", he'd said, even though it was a complete lie. He just could stand to see the kid hurt anymore than he already was.

Ritsuka nodded, though clearly hurt deeply from the blond's statement, he understood and completely believed the lie. Telling himself that, Soubi wouldn't leave him unless he had too; he'd promised after all...

Soubi hadn't been gone too long. A few weeks maybe, but he couldn't get over the strange feeling in his gut. In the begining, he'd simply called it guilt, seeing as he felt so awful about what he'd done that he contemplated suicide at least once.

It had taken a small three weeks before Soubi couldn't stand it any longer. With determination, he got into his car and drove off to Ritsuka's house, telling himself along the way that once he saw the kitten was just fine, wth no more abuse than usual, his guilty concious could finally be at ease.

When the blond arrived into the once familiar town, he couldn't help but feel strange, the tightening in his gut became stronger and someplace in his mind he couldn't help thinking of all the things that could have gone wrong in his absence.

When he passed the cemetary, he took notice in a newly plotted grave. With one glance at the name, his life pause abruptly. "Ritsuka" it said. And he pulled into the cemetary to confirm just who it was 'sleeping' six feet below. Just as he'd guessed, it was his Loveless. and in the recently upturned dirt someone had spelt "murdered" into the soil.

_Murder_, he thought. It wasn't a hard guess as to who had done it, it was quite obvious, what with an abusive mother an all.

Tears welled in Soubi's eyes. Because he wasn't there, Loveless was dead.

_I've let you down, Beloved; but I _betrayed _you, Ritsuka._

Soft frozen flakes of white fell slowly onto the grave stone and Soubi gave a harsh half sob half snicker. It was the changing of seasons again, but this time, there would be no reason to say _goodbye..._

**I quite like this, its sad, but I like it. It's a different piece of work from me.**

**Reviews = love**


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